


To Give a Marionette Life

by GuyOfShy



Category: Final Fantasy XIII Series, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Related
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23093872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuyOfShy/pseuds/GuyOfShy
Summary: With Etro slain, Bhunivelze awakens to the end of days. After arranging his pawns, he now requires one last instrument to act in his stead, and discovers the perfect candidate sitting on the late goddess’ throne.
Kudos: 7





	To Give a Marionette Life

Rarely did compelling thoughts come to Lightning anymore. When they floated from the depths of her murky memories, they never could rouse her awake, yet neither could they lull her to sleep. Whether minutes or months filled the spaces between, she did not know.

Another old echo finally reached her.

_”Too frail a shell, and humans should not thrive. Too stout a shell and they would not die.”_

The Fal’Cie Orphan’s words. She could only imagine this being the long slumber deep within Cocoon, home to them both, that it referred to: an injured shell housing a fragile spirit. Lightning could relate.

If slumbering still and silently in stone was the price to pay for her sins, she could only dream of what must have been found in crystal stasis. Her sister knew. It was Serah's reward for fulfilling her Focus. But Lightning never got a chance to ask. She wasn’t sure if she ever would. And worst of all, it was her own fault for dragging Serah into all of this without even being there for her. And now, all Lightning had left of her was… what? Their promise? Hope to meet again? Her soul, if such a thing could be held? Lightning thought she would be able to treasure her warmth, but felt as if it slipped further from her heart with the passing of this eternal moment. She held on with what frail strength remained, terrified of losing her again entirely, but something seemed to wrench it further away. She could have cried over it, if her tears were not petrified. Were she not frozen upon this mournful throne.

Whether sleeping in stone or in crystal - a coffin or a cocoon - Lightning feared there may be no difference. While she never stopped thinking, she felt her heart crumbling under time’s unrelenting passage. At times her conscience faltered and faded, drifting back into focus. She had sat here to wait for eternity - for the end - but had to wonder if this was it.

**_Not the end, no. But a new beginning._**

An ancient voice rumbled, rousing her awake. Lightning certainly didn’t know what to make of this sudden intrusion. She realized that she might have begun hallucinating at this point, but figured that that would have started long ago.

**_Long ago indeed. I too have slumbered, for incomprehensible time._**

Lightning didn’t recognize this booming voice, nor could she recognize any sympathy in its shared sentiment.

**_But I have reawakened: Bhunivelze, God of Light and governor of your mortal realm._**

By now Lightning had learned to doubt the pompous words of gods and so-called higher beings, but somehow understood at once - perhaps through Etro’s passing spirit - that this was the truth.

**_Etro, that abominable creation of mine. Despicable though she may have been, her passing has torn my realm asunder, and I cannot have this. I wish to save you — her champion._**

He did not leave Lightning time to fully understand his relation to Etro, but that was the least of her concerns. She was not thrilled to be ‘chosen’ by another god's oh-so benevolent favor, or the fact that he could read her mind, and pondered what new take on slavery she would be forced into now.

**_Unless you would spend your eternity petrified. No; you desire is to see your sister again. I, too, would like to reclaim something beyond my reach._**

Bhunivelze’s words roused concern. As if stirring her memory with them, Lightning witnessed vivid flashes of the chaos flooding Gran Pulse as Valhalla collided with it. The five-century erosion of the world transpired in a moment.

**_Now it collapses on the brink, laying abandoned by its goddess protector._**

Lightning would have felt at ease, then, if the God of Light had reawakened to be the necessary advent to save the world, and save her while he was at it. But if he was approaching her like this then it couldn’t be that easy. It never was.

**_Omnipotent as I may be, the difference between that and omniscience is as great as that between the heavens and earth. While souls may eventually pass into my domain when the flesh housing them no longer can, I cannot exercise my will over them as Etro once did. As her champion, you have inherited Etro’s will. You will act in her stead._**

Lightning had to wonder how he planned on rewarding her. Her previous compensations of l’Cie servitude and eternal battle weren’t exactly what she had in mind. If she could have spoke she would have shouted at him to quit beating around the bush. She couldn’t make much sense of this god’s grand ambitions in her lethargic conscience.

**_I would like to orchestrate a miracle, as you once did on the Day of Ragnarok. Do what I cannot, and guide your brethren’s souls to me before your world collapses as I construct a new one to migrate to. Become the savior of your world once again._**

Ragnarok… She understood that it was Etro who had performed a miracle to save them on that day, who had given her a second chance as her guardian, but Lightning had let her down once again. Lightning atoned for that the only way she knew how: by taking Etro’s place to delay destruction.

Yet it still came to pass. Still Lightning’s efforts and sacrifices were not enough. Still more was asked of her. She couldn’t save her home, her goddess, or her sister. The former two had ceased to be, but Serah’s soul still survived beyond Lightning’s desperate reach. She had to. Lightning couldn’t let all of their struggles be for nothing. And that was more than enough reason for Lightning to continue fighting her endless battles.

**_Yes, I can revive your sister. I can accomplish it. Witness my vow:_**

Bhunivelze’s voice resounded with assurance, and in Claire’s nihility manifested a perfect sensation of Serah, her smile, the sound of her gentle voice. Claire swore she could have touched her if not for the stone shell entrapping her. She felt a pounding pulse as Bhunivelze lent fire for her desire; heat in her heart and flowing blood. No, only the phantom sensation; a fleeting touch of emotion. A taste of life. But the sight faded back to nothingness, emptier than ever, lost again to regretful bitterness and lament that flooded Claire’s being as quickly as it had been cured.

Before this, Lightning was prepared to suffer for Bhunivelze, armed only with desperate hope. Now the inspiration for impetus ached. She would act on it, given the chance. 

**_We are in accord then. I expect marvels from you, savior._**

Bhunivelze's fading voice heralded a flash of blinding light as cool air breathed on Lightning's renewed flesh. She opened her eyes gingerly to her own reflection in the brightly polished floor of the Ark as she struggled to stand again.

_'I guess it's only natural that a few centuries of sitting around will do that to you… but I can't waste any more time.’_ She had orders, armor, and a weapon, presumably manifested for her by Bhunivelze: the only things she’d ever needed to get a job done. Except this time… 

She screwed her eyes shut again, not to regain her composure as her blood rushed through her body with her heart beating anew, but to send a parting sentiment into that silent darkness.

_'I know I've asked more than enough of you already, but just wait a little longer Serah. This time I’ll set things right. I promise.'_

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write this for two reasons.
> 
> The first is that this is quite a significant little scene that bridges XIII-2 to LR, but is never directly shown, and I wish it bad been at some point in LR. I feel that the way it’s referred to as a past event detaches it from Lightning's current obligations to him, and it could have given more weight to her succeeding in her task.
> 
> The other reason is that I really like Bhunivelze as a character and wanted to write him. I absolutely love every line of his dialogue and his design is marvelous.
> 
> I’m glad to finally post this one and get it off of the back burner because I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. I took many trips to the wiki to stay as compliant as possible with the canon lore and space between the games, so hopefully I got all that right. Thank you for reading!


End file.
